Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

Elizabeth Harrison first moved into the Apthorp when she was 15, and remained in that storied UWS building through some major life events, including co-founding her communications firm, Harrison & Shriftman; meeting her husband, developer Keith Schwebel; and becoming a mom. The couple, now both in their 40s, eventually moved out, spending 12 years at 99th and West End. But in March, they couldn’t resist returning to the Apthorp, this time to a different floor — with two teenage daughters in tow.

Schwebel (a developer behind NYC’s soon-to-open Arlo NoMad micro-hotel) tapped his extensive construction Rolodex and his admitted “obsession with the details of design” to gut-reno the place with architect Fernando Papale. Harrison worked with interior designer Julie Nightingale to add the right modern flair to those prewar bones. “We both have hectic jobs and lives, and when we come home, we just love being in this apartment,” Harrison tells Alexa.

Here’s how the power couple made it their own.

KS: Make history “The center section of the ceiling is original, and we replicated it by hand to expand it outward to fill the room. It took three months. Our contractor was irritated that the plaster guys were here so long!”

EH: In good light “We worked hard to find a light fixture that would complement the ceiling and really be the room’s pièce de résistance. Lindsey Adelman’s stuff is amazing.”

KS: Part ways “We wanted to create a big space with an almost loftlike feel. I designed this iron-and-glass wall on an Excel spreadsheet myself, then had it made at a Brooklyn iron shop.”

EH: Soft focus “The light’s very soft here, so I chose a gray wall color to complement that. We went for an Restoration Hardware sofa and chose a slight blush color for the silk drapes, which are custom Kravet.”

EH: Stay inspired “We both travel a lot, and feel there’s something really gracious about a Parisian apartment. That was what I was going for — that feeling like you could almost be in another country.”

EH: Take the long view “We’re on a different side of the courtyard — which they do a beautiful job landscaping — from where my family lived, but there are still people in this building who I remember from my childhood.”

EH: Every inch counts “We maximized every nook by putting in a third row of cabinets on top. The apartment feels a lot bigger because Keith used every inch of it.”

EH: Island life “The girls do their homework here and I make breakfast for them — this is the heart of where we spend a lot of time.”

KS: Make ends meet “The book-matched marble behind the stove is statuary Carrara from Italy. But as a developer, I’m always trying to find the best way to do beautiful things as inexpensively as possible. I sourced all the cabinetry from the same fabricator in China we used for the Arlo hotel.”

KS: Cook to order “The custom, stainless hood cover is inspired by commercial kitchens. It’s about 9 feet long — it gives off a real cooking-kitchen look.”

EH: Embrace those curves “All the windows on this floor of the building are arched. It’s an original detail that gives the apartment a really nice feel.”

EH: Hearth and home “We are told the mantel is original from 1908, when the Apthorp was built. We relocated it from what was previously the living room to what is now our master bedroom.”

EH: Read all about it “I love to read book-books, not Kindles. Keith had the built-ins manufactured by the same fabricator in China that did the kitchen cabinets.”

EH: Find a common ground “We spent a lot of time thinking about details; for instance, finding a desk chair that he would like — and one that I would like. We landed on Design Within Reach.”

EH: Go vintage “Julie found the antique chaise at Hiden Galleries in Stamford, Conn., and sent me pictures. It’s late-19th-century French.”

EH: Mix ‘n’ match “This Circa Lighting fixture, designed by Kelly Wearstler, is like a star burst — it’s trendy and kind of of-the-moment, yet it hangs above my grandmother’s antique bed. My grandparents’ initials are still on the headboard.”

EH: Go for the gold “Our younger daughter wanted a room that felt really grown-up. She has very specific tastes and has always loved gold and cream. This gold poster bed is from Room & Board.”

EH: Friends in high places “The drapes are Lulu DK — I have a personal relationship with Lulu de Kwiatkowski. In the early days of our firm, she supported us and came to our events. It’s been nice for me to be able to use her line in our home.”

EH: Keep it in the fam “The photography in the apartment is by my uncle, Rodney Smith. He has a new photography book out, and most of the images can be found in it.”

EH: In hot water “I love baths — we chose a Waterworks tub and put book-matched Calacatta Borghini marble behind it.”